Probably most well-known for his single “Riptide”, Vance Joy is an indie pop singer/songwriter originally from Melbourne, Australia. As he makes his way through the United States on his 2017, I was lucky enough to see him perform at Panorama Music Festival this past Friday. The stage was set up simply, with a brightly colored geometric background. As his music has a more relaxed and acoustic sound, it didn't need to be overpowered by a flashy stage. The simplicity made the aesthetics fun and low key without detracting from his music. Though I was sharing this experience with hundreds of other fans, Joy’s relaxed charm made it feel intimate and friendly. As he introduced certain songs and talked affectionately about his band, it was clear he was extremely excited and humbled to be there. He started off his set with one of his well known songs “Mess is Mine” which was extremely fun to hear live. Almost everyone in the crowd was excited and sang along. There were times when he allowed the audience to sing certain parts as he clapped along, revelling in the moment. I was pleasantly surprised that when seeing him live, the variety of instruments he uses in his songs is much more evident. His use of trumpets were integral to the performance and sound. Though his vocals were not as clear and strong as they are on the studio recordings, it surprisingly did not detract from the performance. I credit this to the talented and energetic band. Next he played two newer songs that I was unfamiliar with, “Red eye”, which is about wanting to fly home to loved ones, and then “Lay It On Me”. Both were quite good, though very similar to many of his other songs. His set though short, included an enjoyable mix of both old and new songs including “Fire and Flood”, “Call if you Need Me” and “Georgia.”As to be expected, he ended his set with Riptide which was extremely satisfying. Despite however many times one listens to this song on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube or wherever, hearing it live, singing along with hundreds of other fans, and seeing how humble and happy the band is creates a completely new and exciting way to listen to a familiar song. His overall persona and live performance mimic the whimsical and folky characteristics of his music, and I thoroughly enjoyed his show and would encourage people to see him perform if he makes a stop nearby. Check out "Lay It On Me" here.